Thrissur

Thrissur, the bustling city is acclaimed as the cultural and spiritual capital of the scenic state of Kerala. The picturesque city is amidst the verdant forest region of the state. Religious traditions and festivals go parallel in the city. It houses the most colourful temple festival, of India, called Pooram. It is celebrated in the month of April or May. The festival of Thrissur Pooram radiates a spectacular celebration hosted at the Vadakkumnatha Temple premises. It is truly secular festival celebrated by people of all religions and hosts an exhibition that is worth visiting.

Thrissur has its own importance in the history of South India as it has witnessed the rise and fall of many kingdoms in Kerala. The ancient city was ruled by the Zamorins of Calicut, followed by Portuguese invasion and later by the British rulers. All of them played a significant role in the history of the city of Thrissur. The city is also the home for many cultural, art and academic institutions. It supports the fading classical Keralan performing art form. Tourism is the lifeline of the city as it hosts thousands of tourists every year for the annual festival. The major tourist attractions include Vadakkunnathan Temple, Shankara Samadhi, and Athirapally Falls.

August to April

Sightseeing in Thrissur includes temples, beaches, sanctuary. Check out the following list of attractions at Thrissur to plan your itinerary:

Thrissur is not just popular for its vibrant festivals, but it’s a heaven for mouthwatering cuisines, which will surely pamper your taste buds. The restaurants serve, spicy and fried delicacies to delectible South Indian cuisines. There are a number of restaurants in Thrissur which include Hotel Bharath, one of the finest restaurants, Manapuram Hotel, renowned vegetarian restaurant and the Indian Coffee House for all your coffee breaks.

The city is renowned for silk, brass work, metal curios, and gold ornamented jewellery. Government emporiums like Surabhi and Kairali are good places to shop for things that are related to the culture and tradition of Kerala. Tourists also prefer exquisitely crafted ornaments and embellishments of gold and the exquisite range of sarees with distinct South Indian designs and alignments.

The nearest airport to Thrissur is Nedumbassery International Airport of Kochi, at a distance of around (53 km.). Taxi services are available from Kochi to the city. It is well connected by railhead through Thrissur railway station about (3.4km.) from the city. The KSRTC bus stand is around (2.5 km.) away and is a good option to get to Thrissur from other cities like Kochi, Kozhikode, Trivandrum, Palaghat, Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore and Bangalore.

Some other sightseeing places in Thrissur include Arattupuzha Temple Appan Thampuran Smarakam and Kudakkallu.

Some of the excursions from Thrissur include: Kodungallur (About 39 km.): It is a renowned historical port town famous for its temple dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati. It was once the sea link for trading spices to the Middle East countries. Thiruvilwamala (About 48 km.): The temple town is located on the banks of River Bharathapuzha. It is famous for Vilwadrinathan temple, dedicated to Lord Rama. Kalady (About 53 km.): On the banks of the River Periyar is the birthplace of Adi Sankaracharya. Sankara Keerthi Mandapam is built in his memory. Palakkad (About 68 km.): It houses several tourist spots including the Palakkad Fort, Malampuzha Dam, Dhoni Waterfalls, Punarjani Guha, Bagavathi Temple and Punnakudi Mahavishnu Temple. Athirapally Falls (About 60 km.): The gushing waterfall around 80 ft. high from the Chalakudy River is a popular picnic spot surrounded by flora and fauna. Vazhachal Falls (About 62 km.): The scenic water body is one of the finest waterfalls in India It originates from the Chalakudy River and cascades through the edges of the Sholayar forest range in Kerala. Nelliyampathy (About 73 km.): Perched at an altitude of around 1585 mt. on the Western Ghats is the hill stations with sprawling tea gardens, coffee, cardamom and orange plantations. The mountain ranges offer opportunities for trekking and hand gliding for all adventure buffs. Parambikkulam Wildlife Sanctuary (About 126 km.): An ecological sanctuary situated in the Sangam Hill ranges of Western Ghats is home to about varied species of mammals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and colourful butterflies.

With the best of tourist information, one can end up exploring many additional tourist places and weekend getaways like Malampuzha dam, Malappuram temple, Anamalai and Pollachi wildlife sanctuaries.